Welcome

Since we are a new community, we are building out our baseline services and operations. These are: 

• WhatsApp Community - for daily connection, information sharing and community announcements.

• Monthly Meetings / Wisdom Circles - a consistent cadence of gathering and learning from each other.

These two elements will continue, even if other program development is paused due to bandwidth. That is until other baseline services, technology and platforms can be developed and sustained without much energy. 

The core idea of Sonderel is a system of shared tools and resources. Some of these are long-term plans, while others could be set up tomorrow. The vision is to develop and offer the following over time, based on the needs, interests, capacity, skills and network connections of the community:

• Shared Software Subscriptions & Technology - Project management tools (e.g., Notion, Asana), design software (Canva Pro, Adobe), research databases, CRM tools, etc. This includes the possibility of an AI Agent "assitant" trained and developed for Sonderel’s members and their projects. 

• Administrative, Financial & Back-Office Support - Pooled virtual assistant hours, accounting/bookkeeping services, proposal support, etc.

• Proposal & RFP Response Team - Shared budget for hiring proposal writers, editors, and researchers to support complex bids.

• Marketing & Brand Promotion - Joint investment in a shared website, portfolio platform, brand toolkit, conference and expo representation, newsletter distribution, or social media management. 

• Insurance & Legal Resources - Access to group insurance plans (e.g. liability, health), legal consultations, contract templates, and risk management tools.

• Co-working & Meeting Space - Shared membership to local co-working hubs or rented studio/meeting/event spaces, or consultant-owned spaces. 

• Training & Professional Development - Collective purchasing of course seats, workshop access, certification programs, or coaching.

• Consultant Database & Skill Matching Platform - Collective investment in the development and maintenance of Sonderel’s consultant network system.

• Long-term Envisioned Benefits - As the organization grows and develops, we can plan and hope to get to a size where we can also offer things like: 

  • Mutual aid funds and micro-loans or grants 

  • Wellness stipends and retreats 

At Sonderel, we believe that value isn’t only measured in dollars—it’s also found in time, talent, and mutual support. Our time-banking and bartering system will allow consultants to exchange their skills for collective benefit, offering a flexible and inclusive way to contribute to the community while accessing its resources. Whether it's helping with internal operations, supporting a marketing initiative, or contributing to onboarding materials, members can earn time credits that offset the cost of access to shared paid services.

This reciprocal model honors each member’s expertise and creates a fluid, accessible way for everyone to participate—especially those who may be between contracts, building their portfolio, or new to the cooperative. By trading time and talent, we ensure that Sonderel remains not just a place to find work, but a dynamic ecosystem of support, collaboration, and co-creation. 

Below is a description of the PLANNED levels of engagement as we build out the collective, which of course may change over time. With the exception of Sonderel's founders and advisors, we are all currently at the Core Contributor or the basic Network Consultant levels. 

• Core Contributor / Managing Consultants - Core contributors are active participants, listed in the consultant marketplace as Managing Consultants, sharing their skills or connections, and bringing in new Network Consultants from their project teams and personal connections. They receive all collective action benefits and have the option to build equity towards cooperative ownership. They may participate in committees with voting rights. Most of Sonderel's members are expected to be in this level of engagement. 

• Network Consultants / Specialists - These are contacts and connections of Sonderel Core Contributors who have been made aware of the Sonderel network and added to the database. They may be introduced as a go-to team member by Project Managers and contracted as specialists for project work based on their skills and expertise. They are welcome as an observer and general community participant (baseline services) until they feel ready to get more involved or invest in a cost-sharing program, for example. 

• Mentees / Apprentices - This will be a mentorship program; a level for young entrepreneurs or consultants early in their practice, brought in via referral of a sponsor (Core Member, Partner or Advisor). Apprentices may be contracted on projects and access some cost-share benefits either by sponsor scholarship or time-banking contributions. 

• Partners / Member Owners - These are contract partners of Sonderel with equity ownership (when Sonderel's growth begins to return a profit beyond investment back into the community - so, some time away). They are members of the Governance Board which meets quarterly with full voting rights and responsibilities leading regional hubs, industry vertical teams, or operational departments. This group includes the Sonderel founders, but may also be Sonderel Advisors or Core Contributors advancing into the ownership tier via investment buy-in or or earning equity through contributions.  

• Advisors - This is a group of women who meet twice a year to offer insights and support from an external perspective. Perhaps they are retired or work full-time for a company or organization, but they believe in the vision of Sonderel and have the network connections or experience to help elevate Sonderel to its realized vision. They are ambassadors of the cooperative. They may offer mentorship to members of the community as well. They may also choose to invest in the organization to become a Partner.